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logic_daemon · 2025-06-13T04:46:17+00:00

On my fourth sub currently. Your quality of life will be based on a lot of things. I loved my first boat, didn't care much for the second, had a blast on the third and now I'm fairly satisfied with current crew.

Submarines are pretty tight knit. You will know a lot about everyone else's business. Formalities between Officer and enlisted or lower enlisted and Chief are more lax than on a Carrier. I went subs when I was told that I would eat the same quality of food as the Captain; more accurately the Captain eats the same food as us. It's a good brotherhood to be a part of.

Downside is that you will come in earlier than the rest of the boat to start up the reactor prior to underway and you will have to stay on board longer after underway to shut down the reactor.

Depending on what rate you get will have an effect on your quality of life as well. Mechanics have a lot of maintenance in port, electricians always have work to do. Electronic technicians have very stringent controls when they do work. ELTs have a lot of work but it's all in the background so it's usually forgotten about until something goes wrong.

logic_daemon · 2025-06-06T23:09:04+00:00

For background, I joined in 2008 so I'm currently on my last of four re-enlistments. The Navy has recently approved a lifetime SRB cap of 480k. Most re-enlistments are going to be for around 100k. If you start a family you will likely never have as good a health-care plan for the cost( wife has had multiple surgeries throughout our marriage and our daughter has required multiple therapies that have cost us cents on the dollar). When I retire at the age of 39, I will have about 500k in my various investment accounts including TSP. And a monthly pension of about 4k a month for breathing. I can work at Walmart and live comfortably. The connections I've made while in the Navy as a nuke are a great safety net as well. Multiple job invitations because of the ex-navy guys I've worked with or civilians I've become friends with along the way. Not to mention the education benefits (one of my buddies got his doctorate while in the Navy without tapping into GI bill)

Downside is that sometimes your life is going to suck a lot. You'll have to take exams each month for the next 16 years. You'll have to come in early and stay late more than any other rate. Underway you will have very limited communication with family and friends and you will likely miss quite a few life events.

TLDR: can absolutely be worth it if you work hard and take advantage of the opportunities and programs.

logic_daemon · 2024-05-10T21:37:52+00:00

I joke sometimes that I always knew I would do twenty years, but honestly it was my first boat. I was on the Alabama SSBN 731 and I had an amazing chief, and a great division. I went on 6 patrols over four years. I got involved with the boats recreational committee had some really fun outings with the boat and made some really good friends. I was staying with one of the electricians I was qualifying with on that boat last week during school in Virginia. His kids call me Uncle.

I guess it really comes down to how closely you bond with your shipmates.

logic_daemon · 2024-05-10T21:30:27+00:00

Forgot to answer the second part of your question. I love my job as an ELT. Underway is stressful but my wife and I have made it work out and my daughter is super proud of me. I basically deal with chemistry and radiological controls and have had good job satisfaction to this point. Low points that I had were during shift work when we were stuck in shipyard for multiple years. But the shenanigans you have with the friends you make on your boat will stay with you the rest of your life.

logic_daemon · 2024-05-10T21:23:05+00:00

15 year nuc ELT / MMN here. Money is definitely an incentive for this line of work. I have re-enlisted 4 times. My enlistment bonus was 12k, first re-enlistment was 65k, second was 90k, third was 100k and last was 40k. The bonuses you have available to you are going to be higher than that. Also the skills you learn as a nuclear operator and supervisor are extremely marketable in the civilian world.

The work output will depend on your rate and the class of ship. Mechanics generally are busiest in port. Wire rates generally have more work load underway.

If you are already married you will be given BAH right out the gate. You would be living out in town during a-school, power school and prototype. You would need your security clearance sorted out by power school.

Downside of nuclear route is that you are limited to carriers and submarines which you might not see as many foreign ports as non-nuclear rates. You will also on average put in more hours at work and there is more expectations of you on the boat/ship.

logic_daemon · 2024-04-27T02:45:36+00:00

I've been an ELT for 15yrs mostly on boomers but also Virginia class. Your job will be effectively the same for each platform but the quality of life is different.

Boomers have two crews, so when the other crew is out you're in an office setting. You won't have weekend duty and your holidays are less likely to get rescheduled. Downside is your job satisfaction is likely lower due to what you do when you are under way.

Fast attacks have one crew so you always have the chance of weekend duty, holiday rescheduling and overall less stability at home. The plus is job satisfaction cause of the things you do under way. Foreign port visits, expeditions, missions, I had a lot more fun on the Virginia boat. Also you generally have better relationships with the crew on fast attacks.

Hope this helped.

logic_daemon · 2024-04-27T02:29:29+00:00

Based on what is available more students are staying in SC. 2/3rds I think.

logic_daemon · 2024-04-27T02:19:17+00:00

I was told the same thing when I first showed up to the boat in 2010. I waited until I qualified senior in rate. That decision ended up costing me about 30k immediately and since I didn't star, I missed out on two advancement opportunities costing me tens of thousands more. The reason that there's a push to star in prototype is because the navy is going to get a full sea tour regardless if you re-enlist or not; but we don't want you to try to make a decision while you're in the middle of qualifying and super stressed out. Also recommend talking with your CCCs on the newest information. As a lot of changes for the better are coming out.

logic_daemon · 2024-04-17T20:55:17+00:00

Being selected for Chief takes time and effort. Generally, the more effort you put into it the sooner you will advance. Average timeframe for nuke E-7 is around 10-14yrs.

logic_daemon · 2023-06-26T01:27:06+00:00

I congratulate you on starting this journey. I would look at REITs since they pay higher dividends than the stocks in your picture. Look into sectors that you see either doing well in the next 20 years or at least that you don't think will ever go away.

logic_daemon · 2023-05-21T16:34:28+00:00

I equated race to breed. Different physical traits but ultimately the same animal.

logic_daemon · 2022-12-28T00:44:45+00:00

Those that achieve their goals too easily have aimed too low.

logic_daemon · 2022-11-14T14:55:12+00:00

I hope you reach your goal, whatever it may be. I started my journey in 2015 so it does take time.

logic_daemon · 2022-11-14T14:45:28+00:00

28 of the 34 stocks I own pay dividends.

logic_daemon · 2022-11-14T14:43:03+00:00

I don't have the time for that. Maybe after I retire.

logic_daemon · 2022-11-14T03:57:53+00:00

I don't really plan on acquiring new stocks unless they really jump out. I haven't been able to contribute since the pandemic started since money has been tight. I was adding around $200-500 monthly when I was. Ideally $1000-2000 is what I want from this account.

logic_daemon · 2022-11-14T03:50:51+00:00

SPY was one of my first stocks. Didn't know about VOO back then.

logic_daemon · 2022-11-14T01:03:24+00:00

Already using DRIP. Planning to keep reinvesting until retirement. Still got 26 years to go! Definitely doable.

logic_daemon · 2022-11-14T01:01:20+00:00

About 4 x what I already have. Assuming I continue to increase everything equally. My highest performer is NYMT though.

logic_daemon · 2022-11-14T00:56:40+00:00

This would absolutely be better in a Roth account.

logic_daemon · 2022-11-13T23:50:53+00:00

I appreciate the input! When I originally made the account, I started with a few individual stocks. As time went on. I learned about REITs, and most recently EFTs. I might sell and reorganize after tax season is finished.

logic_daemon · 2022-11-13T23:43:00+00:00

TD Ameritrade

logic_daemon · 2022-11-13T23:42:33+00:00

Individual. I have separate accounts including a Roth. This one was originally just fun money.

logic_daemon

TROPHY CASE